Hundreds killed in Somalia diarrhoea outbreak

From SAAD MUSE in Mogadishu, SomaliaMOGADISHU, (CAJ News) – A fatal outbreak of diarrhoea has claimed the lives more than 500 lives in Somalia, where a risk of measles has also emerged.
The crises comes as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate and the possibility of famine in 2017 persisting.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the total number of diarrhoea cases recorded since the beginning of the year has reached 28 400, including 558 deaths since the beginning of the year.
Meanwhile, cases of measles continue to rise across Somalia.
About 5 000 cases have been reported as of mid- April.
The number is three times higher than the number of cases reported during the same period last year.
Of the reported cases, 52 percent are of children under the age of five.
Suspected cases of measles were reported from all regions.
Massive drought-related displacement continues with most of the displaced people moving from rural to urban areas where they anticipate receiving aid.
Some 600 000 Somalis have been displaced since November 2016 as a result of the ongoing drought.
Water and sanitation continue to be among the top priorities but funding levels are not keeping pace with the growing needs.– CAJ News